1 . US Army veteran (退伍老兵) Mazyck remembers when doctors told her she would never walk again. She’d been paralyzed from the waist down after a serious accident while parachuting in 2003.The doctors never said anything about floating, though. In 2021,she got to do just that.

Mazyck was one of 12 participants in a Zero G flight, organized by the group AstroAccess. This type of flight recreates the weightlessness that astronauts experience without going all the way to space. Flying over the Pacific Ocean off Southern California, the modified 747 jet airplane made 15 steep dives and climbs, allowing the flyers multiple periods of weightlessness.

The experience left Mazyck feeling joyful. “The flight was something that I would have never in my wildest dreams thought I would’ve experienced,” she says, “especially the floating, the weightlessness.”

Traditionally, strict physical requirements have prevented disabled people from becoming astronauts. AstroAccess is working to make space accessible to all. “Space removes the barriers between people; now is the time to remove the barriers to space itself,” says Mazyck, “It is sending a message to people who have historically been excluded from STEM that not only is there room for you in space, there is a need for you.”

During the flight, she says, the participants did experiments and made observations. They took note of things that people without certain disabilities might not realize are issues. For example, people who couldn’t grip with their legs needed another way to hold themselves still while weightless. The group also experimented with signaling lights for the deaf and with ways of using braille (盲文) for the blind.

These types of issues are easy enough to address. Now is the time to make space accessible — before space tourism or space settlements become commonplace. “I am so proud and elated about what’s happening here,” Mazyck adds. “We are paving the way for the future.”

1. What do we know about AstroAccess?

A．It redesigns jet airplanes.	B．It offers weightlessness experience.
C．It provides physical treatment.	D．It trains the disabled to be astronauts.

2. What is required in the flights for the participants?

A．Astronaut experience.	B．Steep dives and climbs.
C．Weightlessness periods.	D．Trials and observations.

3. Which of the following words can best describe Mazyck?

A．Generous and determined.	B．Caring and persistent.
C．Courageous and optimistic.	D．Ambitious and innovative.

4. Which of the following can be the best title of the passage?

A．Paving the Way for the Future	B．Disabled Americans Make It to Space
C．Making Space a Place for Everyone	D．US Veterans Experience Zero G Flight

2 . Eli walked to school every day, a familiar routine that never failed to bring him a sense of peace. The school day ________ with the bell, and Eli would walk home, his ________ often included a shortcut through a vacant (空着的) lot where beautiful flowers and trees were growing wild.

One particular day, Eli’s eyes were caught by a ________ of blue in the old maple tree on the vacant lot. A blue bird had flown into the tree, ________ loudly as it landed on a low branch. Eli watched as the bird flew up to higher branches and ________ into the distance.

With the bird gone, Eli noticed something ________. The branch where the bird had been sitting wasn’t empty. There was a bright red ________ hanging from it, swaying gently in the breeze (微风). ________, Eli walked towards the tree for a closer look. It was a flat balloon. Eli ________ that balloons were a form of ________ and wondered what if a bird tried to ________ it. He reached out to grab the balloon, ________ to throw it away.

But as he picked up the balloon, Eli noticed a ________ attached to it, which read “these beautiful trees are the home of some special birds. Let’s do our bit to ________ them”. Having seen this, Eli ________ put back the balloon and walked at a brisk pace towards his home.

1.

A．started

B．continued

C．ended

D．worked

2.

A．route

B．direction

C．plan

D．goal

3.

A．block

B．flash

C．leaf

D．light

4.

A．crying

B．shouting

C．singing

D．screaming

5.

A．faded

B．followed

C．went

D．fell

6.

A．amazing

B．familiar

C．unusual

D．important

7.

A．balloon

B．bag

C．string

D．object

8.

A．Curious

B．Serious

C．Upset

D．Scared

9.

A．said

B．knew

C．found

D．confirmed

10.

A．toy

B．gift

C．litter

D．material

11.

A．eat

B．kick

C．get

D．take

12.

A．ceasing

B．intending

C．hesitating

D．pretending

13.

A．letter

B．paper

C．note

D．poster

14.

A．preserve

B．keep

C．watch

D．trap

15.

A．secretly

B．carefully

C．really

D．ultimately

3 . With over 70% of the country blanketed in forest, Bhutan is rich in outdoor activities and charming villages that showcase a distinctive culture found nowhere else on the Earth. Here are our picks for the best places to add to your Bhutan traveling list.

Paro

Less than 10 minutes away from the airport, the historic riverside town of Paro is known for the National Museum, Rinpung Dzong and symbolic Tiger’s Nest Monastery. Wander along Paro’s streets and the Paro Weekend Market to explore shops and stands offering handmade souvenirs. When you’ve worked up an appetite, step into any restaurant for fresh, handmade momo dumplings.

Thimphu

In Bhutan’s capital city, spend the day creating your own stamps at the Bhutan Postal Museum, touring the massive Thimphu’s museums and watching policemen manually direct traffic(there are no traffic lights in the entire city). When the sun sets below the mountains, enjoy yourself at bars like Grey Area, a popular art bar with live music where you can shout “tashi delek!”, a Xizang’s expression for good luck and health.

Punakha

Beloved for riverside farms where cows eat among rice and pepper fields, Punakha is home to what is its most beautiful temple, which sits along the Punakha River. Punakha’s low altitude means it tends to be hotter and sunnier than nearby towns and districts, which means you’ll need to take precautions to avoid sunburn.

Khoma

Fashion lovers can expect to visit behind the curtain in Bhutan’s textile center, Khoma. In the eastern district of Lhuentse, this village is home to roughly 1,000 residents—and few cars. Khoma’s artisans spend their days weaving delicate patterns and designs on traditional Bhutanese looms (织布机), creating colors from the area’s minerals and plants.

1. What is recommended for visitors traveling in Thimphu?

A．Acting as a policeman.	B．Enjoying the nightlife.
C．Purchasing ancient stamps.	D．Trying handmade dumplings.

2. What should visitors carry while traveling in Punakha?

A．Food.

B．Life jackets.

C．Sunblock.

D．Warming clothing.

3. Which attraction best suits tourists who are interested in traditional crafts?

A．Paro.

B．Thimphu.

C．Punakha.

D．Khoma.

4 . On little Connor Crites’s very first day at elementary school, something unbelievable happened. The young boy, who has autism (孤独症), found the ________ school day unbearable. Connor, feeling distressed, curled up (蜷缩) in a ________, shedding tears instead of communicating with others. ________, the day took an unexpectedly heartwarming turn, making Connor ________ the school with confidence, all thanks to a newfound friend.

The friend was Christian Moore, a second-grade student with a ________ heart. Christian noticed Connor’s struggle, so he ________ the teary-eyed youngster and offered him ________. With his compassionate gesture, Christian took Connor’s hand and led the way into the ________. Right there and then, the bond between them formed ________ and turned them into best friends.

Christian’s mom, Courtney, witnessed the ________ scene and was deeply moved by her son’s act of kindness. She captured the heartwarming ________ in a photograph. Touched by the gesture, she shared the picture on the social media with high hopes of ________ others, especially kids.

This heartwarming incident is a perfect ________ that extends beyond Connor and Christian. It ________ a good lesson for everyone. The story of the two young friends is a perfect example of kindness, teaching us that compassion knows no ________.

1.

A．initial

B．special

C．regular

D．national

2.

A．shelter

B．room

C．corner

D．gym

3.

A．Otherwise

B．However

C．Therefore

D．Instead

4.

A．analyse

B．preserve

C．quit

D．enter

5.

A．delicate

B．strong

C．kind

D．normal

6.

A．adopted

B．approached

C．found

D．resisted

7.

A．comfort

B．confidence

C．generosity

D．solution

8.

A．avenue

B．street

C．future

D．school

9.

A．officially

B．frequently

C．instantly

D．creatively

10.

A．satisfying

B．touching

C．annoying

D．thrilling

11.

A．encounter

B．honour

C．effect

D．context

12.

A．striking

B．relating

C．inspiring

D．attracting

13.

A．lesson

B．behavior

C．judgement

D．chance

14.

A．points out

B．accounts for

C．refers to

D．serves as

15.

A．symbols

B．boundaries

C．factors

D．systems

5 . A team of three students won $700,000 this week for using artificial intelligence (AI) to read passages from an ancient papyrus scroll (纸草卷轴). The document is one of the more than 800 scrolls known as the Herculaneum papyri that were carbonized by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. Researchers discovered the passages in the 18th century, but attempts to read them proved in vain: Unfolding them by hand only caused them to fall apart.

That’s where the Vesuvius Challenge comes in. Brent Seales, a computer scientist, and two businessmen, Nat Friedman and Daniel Gross, launched the Vesuvius Challenge in March 2023, offering more than $1 million in prize money for reaching a series of milestones using “computer vision, machine learning and hard work”. For the biggest prize, the organizers released high-resolution CT scans of the scrolls and explained the contest’s rules: Participants would need to decipher (破译) at least 85 percent of four passages. A series of smaller prizes were also awarded throughout the year.

The winning team consists of Nader (an Egyptian PhD student in Germany), Julian Schilliger (a robotics student in Switzerland) and Luke Farritor (a computer science student in Nebraska). Their submission was “met with widespread amazement” by the review team of papyrologists. Farritor also won the challenge’s $40,000 “First Letters” prize in October, when he deciphered the scroll’s first word “porphyras”, which means “purple” in ancient Greek. Nader and Farritor began working together the following month and were joined by Schilliger shortly before the December 31 deadline.

The team ultimately trained machine-learning algorithms (算法) to decipher more than 2,000 characters—more than what was needed to win the Grand Prize. These passages appear to be a philosophical discussion of life’s pleasures, including music and food, though the papyrology team is still studying the results. “It seems familiar to us, and we can’t escape the feeling that the first text we’ve uncovered is a 2,000-year-old blog post about how to enjoy life,” write the organizers.

1. Which statement fits the papyrus scroll in paragraph 1?

A．Its 800-word texts were well-known.	B．It was successfully unfolded.
C．It was discovered in 79 AD.	D．Its text contents were unavailable.

2. What should participants do to win the biggest prize?

A．Explain language rules.

B．Decipher four passages word by word.

C．Develop a type of CT scanner of the scrolls.

D．Translate most characters of the given passages.

3. What is the author’s main purpose in writing paragraph 3?

A．To introduce some background information.

B．To summarize the above paragraphs.

C．To lead to a philosophical conclusion.

D．To put forward a scientific theory.

4. What do we know about the winning team’s achievement?

A．It is under discussion.	B．It is beyond expectation.
C．It is familiar to philosophers.	D．It is uncovered by the organizers.

6 . For much of history, biologists and behaviorists assumed that intelligence of species could be neatly organized into a hierarchy. Modern man was placed at the top, followed by other mammals (哺乳动物). Then came the birds, reptiles (爬行动物) and insects.

However, research suggests that intelligence is actually distributed in different ways across the animal kingdom. In the 1960s, a new generation of researchers pushed the rest of the academic community to define animal intelligence in looser terms. They thought the conventional definition of intelligence — something made up of both consciousness and the ability for abstract thought — was too particular to our own species. Because every animal followed a completely different evolutionary journey, intelligence should be measured in relative terms instead of absolute terms.

In the following decades, a variety of technologies that allow us to observe animals for longer periods of time without disturbing their normal routines revealed that animal behaviors are far more complex than many previous thoughts. In Melbourne, some remote controlled machines are helping researchers to better understand the breeding patterns of southern right whales. Meanwhile, they use the computer to learn to understand, track and predict the movements of organisms.

Regardless of our rapidly changing conception of animal intelligence, it is best recognized when the behavior of an animal is similar to our own behavior. For example, elephants, which are said to remember and return to the tomb sites of dead members of their herd. They also exhibit an unusual interest in the dead bodies of other elephants, signaling their attention to death and perhaps even realizing their own death.

As time passes, we are continuously amazed at the level of cognitive (认知的) complexity exhibited by animals. At times, their madness can be difficult to spot. Modern technology finally allows us to look with some precision. Though the search only got underway a few decades ago, we have already discovered more similarities between animals and ourselves than we previously expected.

1. What does the underlined word “hierarchy” in paragraph 1 probably mean?

A．Rank.

B．Trend.

C．Form.

D．Campaign.

2. What did the researchers think of the conventional definition of intelligence?

A．Abstract.

B．Inaccurate.

C．Unnoticed.

D．Complex.

3. Why are elephants mentioned in paragraph 4?

A．To make a prediction.	B．To make an assumption.
C．To prove an exception.	D．To prove a viewpoint.

4. What is the topic of the text?

A．Human cognition.

B．Human intelligence.

C．The distribution of animal intelligence.

D．The species classification in the animal kingdom.

7 . Hussam Al-Attar, a 15-year-old boy in Gaza, is able to build a device to provide electricity for the lamps of the tent he is staying in with his family.

Al-Attar got two fans at a resale market and used them to create small wind turbines (涡轮) to produce electricity. His invention led others in the camp where he stayed to start calling him the “Newton of Gaza”. That comparison involves the English scientist, Isaac Newton. Newton is known for his major scientific discoveries in the fields of physics, mathematics and astronomy more than 300 years ago. A famous story about Newton describes how an apple falling on his head led him to discover the nature of gravity.

Al-Attar and his family are staying in a tent that is partly attached to a house. He was able to climb onto the roof to set up two fans, one above the other. The wind could turn the fans, which produced small amounts of electricity. He then connected the fans to wires and built a charging station. Al-Attar also built switches to control a lighting system made out of wood.

Al-Attar’s first two attempts failed, and it took him a lot of time to develop a working system. He started developing it further, bit by bit, until he was able to extend the wires through the room to the tent, so that the tent would have light. He was happy to be able to create something to help ease “the suffering” of his family members. Now, he is just looking forward to the future when conditions can improve in Gaza.

“I am very happy that people in this camp call me the ‘Newton of Gaza’,” Al-Attar said. “Because I hope to achieve my dream of becoming a scientist like Newton and creating an invention that will benefit not only the people of the Gaza Strip, but the whole world.”

1. Why did Al-Attar buy two second-hand fans?

A．To light his tent.	B．To cool his home.
C．To challenge Newton.	D．To learn to repair a device.

2. Which of the following did Al-Attar use to power his invention?

A．Sunlight.

B．Electricity.

C．Burning wood.

D．Flowing air.

3. What can we learn from Al-Attar’s devotion to his invention?

A．Personal ability is boundless.	B．Patience is the key to success.
C．Family support determines success.	D．Failure tends to discourage motivation.

4. What did Al-Attar mainly convey in the last paragraph?

A．His future goal.	B．His great achievements.
C．The benefits of his camp.	D．The hardship of his creation.

8 . Los Angeles County Museum of Art

What to know?

Next door to the La Brea Tar Pits sits the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), the linchpin of the Los Angeles museum district. Since its opening in 1965, LACMA has showcased thousands of pieces, from Islamic artifacts to European impressionist paintings to modern art. With constantly shifting exhibitions and unique architecture, LACMA offers a rewarding experience for both serious art lovers and casual travelers.

More information

LACMA’s collection is housed in multiple buildings. The Ahmanson Building, the Hammer Building, and the Art of the Americas Building are historical structures that have long been part of the museum’s landscape. Currently, the museum is constructing a new building for its permanent collection, called the David Geffen Galleries, which is scheduled to open in 2024. For now, pieces will be on display in the Broad Contemporary Art Museum (BCAM) and the Lynda and Stewart Resnick Exhibition Pavilion. The Urban Light and Levitated Mass exhibits remain open to visitors. There is a restaurant and grab-and-go eatery on-site. Many visitors appreciated both the indoor and outdoor art exhibits and were impressed with the size of the collection of modern and contemporary art.

When to visit?

Situated on Wilshire Boulevard in west Los Angeles, LACMA is open from 11 am to 6 pm on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays; from 11 am to 8 pm on Fridays and from 10 am to 7 pm on Saturdays and Sundays. It is closed every Wednesday.

Price

As for residents outside the county, general admission tickets cost $25 for adults, $10 for those aged 3 to 17 (children aged 2 and younger get in for free) and parking will set you back $21. Tickets can be purchased online or at the museum’s ticket office.

1. Which building is under construction?

A．The Hammer Building.	B．The Ahmanson Building.
C．The David Geffen Galleries.	D．The Art of the Americas Building.

2. When can the museum be accessible to visitors?

A．At 10 am on Tuesdays.	B．At 3 pm on Fridays.
C．At 8 pm on Saturdays.	D．At 11 am on Wednesdays.

3. To visit the museum, how much will a Canadian couple driving a car pay?

A．$35.

B．$56.

C．$71.

D．$81.

9 . Everyone deserves healthy meals. However, unfortunately, not everyone has ________ to fresh foods, ________ those in poor communities.

A teenager named Lauren Schroeder ________ this when she volunteered at a community food nonprofit. All vegetables for families in need came in cans and boxes, rather than straight from the fields. ________ to make a change, Lauren set out to grow produce so she could donate it to ________ families.

“I wanted people to get the nutrition they needed from fresh vegetables,” Lauren said. This ________ her to start a garden on her parents’ farm. While her mom was supportive, she made her ________ of how much work it would take-still, the teenager ________ the challenge.

To kick-start her project, Lauren got economic ________ from the National FFA Organization, which ________ agricultural education, to pay for seeds and gardening supplies. Then, the ________ work began. Since the summers in Iowa are very hot and dry, she had to water them daily. Lauren added, “I did a lot of research online and every day, it took about two or three hours.”

But all her efforts ________. Her first harvest resulted in 40 pounds of produce. “It was really good to know that anyone who wanted fresh vegetables would be able to get the ________,” Lauren said, “I knew that I wanted to keep going.”

So far, she has spent over 1,000 hours working in the garden, producing 7,000 pounds of vegetables. “I want to ________ community members. It makes a(n) ________ when you help other people out. That’s what makes me happiest,” Lauren said.

1.

A．invitation

B．access

C．admission

D．ticket

2.

A．especially

B．actually

C．obviously

D．extremely

3.

A．confirmed

B．appreciated

C．recognized

D．identified

4.

A．Arranging

B．Determining

C．Struggling

D．Pretending

5.

A．musical

B．familiar

C．unique

D．low-income

6.

A．recommended

B．reminded

C．inspired

D．requested

7.

A．aware

B．confident

C．certain

D．free

8.

A．took up

B．looked into

C．applied for

D．went over

9.

A．guidance

B．support

C．pressure

D．benefit

10.

A．organizes

B．expects

C．promotes

D．demands

11.

A．amazing

B．specific

C．professional

D．tough

12.

A．worked out

B．paid off

C．broke off

D．wore out

13.

A．reward

B．rescue

C．honour

D．donation

14.

A．impact

B．impress

C．challenge

D．observe

15.

A．discovery

B．profit

C．difference

D．intention

10 . 100-year-old Alfred Larson has been through a lot in his lifetime, but one thing that keeps him going is bluebirds.

When Alfred retired in 1978, he wanted to find a hobby or something to do that would keep him busy and provide him with a sense of purpose. When he read a National Geographic article about crafting wooden nest boxes for bluebirds to help improve their populations, he decided to give it a try. Alfred explained that he started building nest boxes on his ranch (大牧场) using left-over pieces of wood.

More than four decades later, Alfred is still going strong and promoting bluebird conservation efforts. Alfred is now monitoring nearly 350 nest boxes on six different trails (小路) in Southwest Idaho. He said, “I settled on a simple design that was easy to build and easy to monitor. I kept adding more boxes on these trails, and these birds responded.” Alfred’s boxes give bluebirds a lot of help in survival. “Without his work, we can’t see so many bluebirds now,” said Pearman, the author of Mountain Bluebird Trail Monitoring Guide.

To celebrate his achievements, filmmaker Matthew Podolsky worked with Alfred for weeks to create a 30-minute documentary—Bluebird Man. The film explores how everything led him to the work he does today and his efforts in bluebird protection. “I remember the first trip I took to the bluebird trail with Alfred, and I was very surprised by the speed with which he moved from box to box,” said Podolsky. “He was hiking across difficult and uneven terrain (地形). I often struggled to keep up with him. Sometimes we’d check more than 100 boxes and be driving home in the dark.”

The impact he’s had on the populations of bluebirds in North America will continue.

1. How did Alfred help save bluebirds?

A．By feeding them personally.	B．By preventing illegal hunting.
C．By making wooden nests for them.	D．By writing articles about them.

2. What can we infer from paragraph 3?

A．The number of bluebirds in Southwest Idaho decreases.

B．Alfred makes a big difference to bluebird conservation.

C．Climate change is threatening the survival of bluebirds now.

D．Alfred’s efforts have greatly inspired others to protect bluebirds.

3. What might be the documentary mainly about?

A．How the natural habitat of bluebirds disappeared.

B．How bluebirds have survived in the past four decades.

C．What influence humans have on bluebirds.

D．What Alfred does every day to protect bluebirds.

4. What is the author’s purpose in writing the text?

A．To praise Alfred’s contribution.	B．To help people learn more about birds.
C．To advise people to protect the environment.	D．To show the living conditions of bluebirds.